It’s only January but I feel confident in saying this is going to make my top ten favorites of 2026!

This was the kind of book I never knew I needed. Gothic, just the right amount of horror (and smut). A forbidden love story, a funeral home… UGH. I loved everything about this book.

Wow. Just, wow. This one got me in the feels. I was LOCKED IN.

Sour Rot is a gothic romance that seethes and festers and, in the end, flourishes despite its roots. By way of a dual POV, we meet star-crossed lovers, Grace and Nicholas. Both are haunted by a dark and loathsome past, burdened by deep-seated secrets too shameful to speak of. The two fall madly in love, despite an age gap of twenty years - But the world is against them as rumours surface, violence bubbles, and secrets spill forth. With a touch of smut - okay, maybe a little more than a touch - Sour Rot is tortured, heartfelt, and a book for all the girls that need a daddy.

The book is primarily set in London at Crowthorne Funeral Care, which adds a dust layer of death to an already grief stricken plot. It gave me Wuthering Heights feels, which is nothing short of glowing praise; the highest esteem I could possibly offer. This one just might be a new personal favourite of mine.

The author wasn't kidding when they said they had a vintage way of writing; several times, especially in the beginning, I found myself thrown at the mention of computers or cell phones or the like. It didn't bother me, though; I like that kind of writing. Writing wise, this was a smooth and easy read that I finished in one sitting.

Onto the plot.... uh. I was staring up at the ceiling last night wondering what I would say about this and I'm still not sure. That is NOT a bad thing in this instance. I just mean that the author threw several completely unexpected things my way and I'm still processing them. I enjoy when a book sits with me. This is definitely not your typical romance and the horror element comes at you fast and strong.

As to the characters themselves... the complications continue. Do I like them? Do I not? They are, at the very least, complicated and interesting and I enjoyed reading about them. I enjoyed the dual POV so that I could get both sides of the story. I think both MCs made some REALLY awful choices that I just could not get behind or excuse and I can't get into that without getting into spoiler land. I was happy with the way their story ended, though, even if I don't know quite what to make of them as people.

(I thought I'd hate the housekeeper when she started being... y'know, but I found myself siding with her a lot, lmao. I was sorry how things ended with her, but it was the only reasonable outcome.)

Overall, I actually enjoyed this book a lot. I'm not a romance reader, but like I said, I read this in one sitting. (The cover and the whole funeral business aspect of it is what drew me in.) I would definitely recommend this to someone looking for something darker and twisted.

Sour Rot creates a dark, moody atmosphere, following Grace as she leaves her hometown and faces complicated relationships in a funeral home. The story looks at jealousy, betrayal, and corruption, using the rotten fig as a clever symbol. There are plenty of twists, like hidden identities, past trauma, and the unsettling truth that the characters are shaped by their own darkness. I found the insta-lust trope a little distracting, but the constant sense of decay and tension kept me interested. The ending suggests there’s more to come, and I’m curious to see what happens next.